Astronomy November 2008

Are super-sized Earths the new frontier? Astronomers are starting to find exoplanets not much bigger than Earth. Some scientists think these worlds could be more hospitable to life than our planet. By Ray Jayawardhana

Are these space rock from Mercury? Angrite meteorites, rare and ancient, date to the birth of the solar system. Did a large asteroid give birth to them — or did they come from the innermost planet? By Thomas H. Burbine, Jr.

How scientists discovered a solar system "superhighway" By riding planetary gravity, spacecraft can explore the solar system without using fuel. By Francis Reddy

Illustrated: Inside Earth's magnetic shield An invisible structure protects Earth from all but the Sun's worst outbursts. Scientists are starting to understand how it works. By Francis Reddy; illustration by Roen Kelly

The northern sky's top 10 galaxies All you'll need is a dark sky and a small telescope to see these galactic gems. By Michael E. Bakich

Where the northern lights dance In Tromsø, Norway, pristine fjords and rugged mountains frame some of the greatest auroral shows on Earth. By Hinrich Bäsemann

How to shoot stars with a webcam A small, inexpensive video camera offers surprisingly good results when imaging stars. By Fred Ringwald

Vixen's giant binoculars among largest sold Use the BT-125-A, and you'll know why many observers love large binoculars. By Phil Harrington